


Surly Neighbours, Tea, and Sledding

by Dark_Angel23



Series: 25 Days of Christmas- Prompt Challenge [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Trips, Fluff, Grumpy Neighbours, M/M, MORGANA SHIPS MERTHUR, Or so Arthur thought, Sledding, Snow, morgana is awesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:01:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27874265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dark_Angel23/pseuds/Dark_Angel23
Summary: 25 day Christmas Prompt Challenge- Day 4Sledding“Um..” Arthur cleared his throat. “Hello, I am your new neighbour, Arthur.” He extended his hand, cringing at his lame attempt at a conversation.“Clearly.” Was his interlocutor’s monosyllabic response, and he made no attempt to take his hand.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: 25 Days of Christmas- Prompt Challenge [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2039365
Comments: 2
Kudos: 70





	Surly Neighbours, Tea, and Sledding

**Day 4- Sledding**

It was a well known fact in their neighbourhood that the man who lived in house 32 was a grumpy asshole.

It was the first thing the people warned Arthur about when he moved in next door, the unpleasant information given even before a greeting.

Arthur wondered what was so bad about him that it warranted such a vile title, but none of his neighbours gave him a satisfactory answer.  _ “Be careful of him.” _ Was all they said.

It had been a month since he had moved in house 31, and he was yet to meet him. He was never outside, and yet his house looked picture-perfect, with the lawn trimmed to the last grass blade and the driveway devoid of even a single leaf.

The stories of the neighbours ranged from the man once kicking a puppy to him killing a man during a bout of anger in front of his house on the road, but Arthur was sure half of them were made up.

So that was why Arthur decided to invite him to his family farmhouse for Christmas.

A week before he had planned to leave, he walked down the short way between their houses, and knocked on the door.

No answer.

He tried again, and to no avail.

Arthur was losing heart quickly, but decided to try once more. Third time’s the charm, right?

And to his surprise, the door swung open.

It took Arthur a moment to notice the figure standing in front of him, their dark clothes blending in the gloom of the interior of the house, but when he did, he blinked in surprise.

The man he had heard so many stories about was about his age, maybe a year or two younger, with blue eyes to rival his own. He had pale skin which contrasted sharply with his mop of raven black hair. Arthur wasn’t sure what he had actually expected, but this wasn’t it.

“Can I help you?” The man snapped.

Arthur recoiled at his unpleasant greeting, and the contemplated going back once, but then discarded the idea as quickly as it had come. He had come to meet him and invite him to Christmas, and he wasn’t going to leave until he had tried at least once.

“Um..” Arthur cleared his throat. “Hello, I am your new neighbour, Arthur.” He extended his hand, cringing at his lame attempt at a conversation.

“Clearly.” Was his interlocutor’s monosyllabic response, and he made no attempt to take his hand. Arthur let it drop awkwardly back at his side.

“So, uh….” Arthur started, feeling more and more awkward and unwelcomed by the second. “I was thinking that if you’d like to come over for a cup of tea?”

The man didn’t reply, but instead scrutinised him with an unreadable expression on his face. Arthur felt like a little boy again, trying not to quake under the quiet judgemental gaze of his father.

“Do you have Darjeeling?” The man asked, surprising Arthur. He had expected him to slam the door on his face. He couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face.

The man smiled back, albeit nervously.

“Of course.”

* * *

“Do you want to go sledding? There is a hill nearby, which will probably be covered in snow.”

Merlin shivered in the armchair opposite his. “In this cold? No thank you.”

“Come on Merlin, it’ll be fun!” Morgana suggested, sashaying into the room.

The trio were in the big living room of Arthur’s family farmhouse, and it was two days before Christmas. Arthur had barely managed to convince his neighbour to accompany him, but Merlin had agreed, albeit a bit reluctantly.

“Noo….” He whined. “It’s too cold.”

Arthur scoffed. “Stop being such a prissy. It’s nothing.” He threw a coat at him.

Merlin spluttered, the sound coming out muffled from the woolen coat that obscured his face.

Arthur rolled his eyes.

“I have never sledded even once in my whole life.” Merlin deadpanned, staring blankly at the white slope before him.

Morgana and Arthur stared at him. “Not even once?” Morgana asked. “What did you do in your childhood?!”

Merlin gave her a look. “Not sledding.”

The half-siblings glanced at each other, and something must have passed through them as the next second, both of them picked up Merlin and deposited him in the sled. Before he could scramble out of it, Morgana pushed it down the hill. A string of curses followed.

As they watched, the sled lost balance at the bottom, flipping over and depositing Merlin in a snowbank. The curses stopped.

Arthur and Morgana burst into laughter.


End file.
